Stone and retaining walls
Old stone and soft mortar, cleaned the careful way.
Brick retaining walls, flagstone paths, stone patios and pool surrounds across in-town Atlanta. The right solution and controlled pressure, so the joints stay put.
Clean brick, joints intact. That is the whole job on an old wall.
The mortar is the part to protect
Most of the brick and stone in these neighborhoods is set in old mortar, and that mortar is softer than the stone around it. Point full pressure at a wall and the face comes clean while the joints wash out, which turns a cleaning job into a repointing job.
So I clean stone the way I clean siding. The solution lifts the algae, moss and black staining, and the pressure stays at whatever the surface can take.
Flat stone you walk on, like a flagstone path or a patio, can usually take more than a wall. I set it by the surface in front of me.
Stone and brick, before and after
Every one of these is a real job of mine in Atlanta. Drag any of them.
BeforeAfter Brick retaining wall. Old mortar is softer than the brick around it, so the joints get as much care as the face.
BeforeAfter Stone patio and fire pit. Nothing sealed, nothing replaced. That is the color of the stone underneath.
BeforeAfter Flagstone path. The yellow-green is growth. Under it the stone is blue-gray.
BeforeAfter Stone pool surround. Wet all summer and shaded half the day, which is why it goes first.
BeforeAfter Flagstone patio. The color is in the stone. It was there the whole time.
BeforeAfter Courtyard walkway. Note the hostas right against the stone. Everything gets soaked with plain water before any solution goes down.
What I clean
- Brick and block retaining walls
- Flagstone paths and patios
- Stone pool surrounds
- Fire pits and stone seating walls
- Stone steps and stoops
- Pavers and brick paving
Planting right up against the stone gets soaked with plain water first, the same as it does on a house wash.
Questions I get asked
Will this damage my mortar?
Not the way I do it. Mortar washes out when high pressure is pointed at the joints. I use the right solution and keep the pressure at what the surface can take, so the joints stay put.
Why is my wall green or black?
Algae, moss and lichen, mostly. Shade and damp are where they grow, which is why the north side of a wall usually goes first.
Can you do the wall with the driveway or a house wash?
Yes, and that is the cheapest way to do it. Setup is most of the overhead, so adding it to a visit costs less than a separate trip.
How long does it stay clean?
It depends on shade and moisture. A shaded wall comes back sooner than one in full sun. Send a photo and I’ll tell you what to expect.
Ready for a price?
Send a photo of the wall, path or patio and I'll tell you what it needs.
Most quotes come back the same day. You don't need to be home.